How to Fashionably Veganize your Wardrobe

Looking to get more cruelty-free with your wardrobe? We've got some great ideas for you below!

Photograph by anjelagr@123rf.com

Once you decide to become a vegan there are many life changes that will occur. Amongst these changes will be the inevitable change in your wardrobe from wearing materials made from animals to going completely cruelty-free. This means you will eventually be converting your wardrobe from one containing animal products to a fashionable vegan-friendly one. Although this may seem like it may take a lot of work and effort, we’ve broken down some of the ways to go about this. We hope you enjoy your new closet!

First let’s get clear on some of the animal products you might find in your wardrobe. Leather, feathers (i.e. down jackets), suede, fur, mohair, wool, cashmere and any other material that comes from an animal is not considered vegan-friendly. These non-vegan materials are found in a variety of everyday items such as jackets, clothing, shoes, purses, bags, belts, and wallets. You may also have non-vegan accessories such a jewelry. It’s important to identify what is and isn’t vegan so you know which items you will eventually be replacing.

Once you’ve identified the non-vegan items, the goal is to eventually get rid of them all. This change does not have to take place overnight. If you’re new to the vegan path it will take some getting used to what you can and cannot wear. You’ll most likely want to go slowly as to not overwhelm yourself, though there are some people who prefer to just get rid of everything at one time. You can begin with items you no longer wear as this may make the transition smoother. There’s a general rule of thumb that if you haven’t worn an item in two years, it’s time to get rid of it, and you can do this practice this with your non-vegan apparel.

Once you begin to get rid of your clothes, instead of throwing them away, why not donate them? At least these items will continue to go to use until they are no longer wearable.

As you begin to get rid of your non-vegan clothing and accessories, you’ll most likely need to replace them with vegan-friendly ones. When you purchase new items to wear, make sure to read the labels to make sure they contain no animal products. This may take some time getting used to, but it’s the best way to prevent an accidently non-vegan purchase.

If you’re worried about the cost of replacing all these items there are many affordable vegan-friendly items. If you check out your local thrift store you’ll see a ton of clothing that is cruelty-free and affordable at the same time. You could also participate in a clothing swap with your friends. During a clothing swap, you invite a bunch of friends over and each person brings clothes they no longer wear, these items are swapped between friends and you go home with a brand-new wardrobe! Other great ways to save on cruelty-free clothing is to shop items on sale as well as at outlets which tend to be much more affordable.

Going vegan should be a fun and joyful experience. Our job at Vegantana is to help you through this transition. We hope you enjoy veganizing your wardrobe and living that fashionably and fabulous vegan life!